It's suicide prevention month, it's such a vitally important month worldwide, Suicide and it's prevention is one of the most important conversations we can have worldwide.

In Australia, one of the front-runners in the suicide conversation is R U OK? the company that has produce a vital campaign called R U OK? Day it has been a day that is changing the conversation of Mental Health and has been in a plight to do so for almost 10 years. but if I am honest, there's something about it that just gets under my skin. not about the campaign, but about peoples attitude toward it. In this post, I am going to talk about my issues with R U OK? day and what I think we can do to continue to make a positive difference in the conversation around Mental Health.

What is R U OK? Day?

In Australia, Mental Illness is a huge issue, 65,000+ people attempt suicide, in Australia every year with about 2500 being lost to suicide, in Australia alone. Suicide is a huge issue here just as it is worldwide.
R U OK? day is a campaign that was started in 2009 by Gavin Larkin and Janina Nearn after Gavin lost his father ended his life by way of suicide. It was started to create a conversation about suicide and mental health.

What's the problem?

R U OK? is an amazing company that does amazing things.
I support the initiative, the company is well run and well resourced, but the campaign has become extremely anecdotal. It's a sentence say for a couple of days every September but the majority of the general public then go on to forget about it until the next September. If you're only asking your friends or family if they're okay once a year, honestly you're not the greatest of supporters.
I am not debating the company or the message, because to a point it has been a successful campaign I think the campaign needs to grow a little.

What Should We Do?

The world is changing. It's companies and campaigns like R U OK? and 320Changes Direction are changing the conversation and fighting the stigma that is being had and held in the Mental Health arena. But like anything else, change is slow.

I think it's time to take it to the next level. I think we should have an R U OK? day every month, make it something that people are constantly being reminded about, constantly being forced to think about, not once a year or so.

The only place someone has ever asked me R U OK? on R U OK? day was while I was going through a drive-thru, I was, but I would have liked to have stopped and had a conversation what that person, instead of being asked and rushed off in order for the next person could get their order fulfilled, I wonder how that young girl would have reacted if I said no? How is asking this question day a year preparing people for that?

Let's change it from 'R U OK? day' to 'R U OK? Everyday'

Note: I'm not slamming suicide prevention, I am upset that things like this have become tokenistic jokes once a year rather than a meaningful conversation.

If you are not doing OK reach out to me under the same namabsolutelyey everywhere, I will listen, I will do my best to ease your mind.

So, I've been trying to write this blog post for a while, I just opened the drafts and it said 'I know it's been three months' Well now, It's actually been four months. .. make that five months and nine days and I still can't seem to get anywhere close to crafting something that I'd be okay with posting.

Obviously, this blog post is going to be talking about Chester Bennington who ended his life by suicide on July 20 earlier this year (2017).

Before I get too far into the post, if you are feeling unwell or are having suicidal thoughts, or know someone who may be, please talk to someone email me [moniquediplock(at)outlook(dot)com] or contact your local number on the world helpline listed here

Chester always had a smile on his face. Even though Linkin Park's earlier music. . .(and a lot of what they are remembered for) was quite angry sounding, you could always see in his eyes he was a deep, caring human being. I always felt that I could relate to his words and he was someone I looked at and thought 'Damn that dude's been through a lot if he can do it, so can I'.

When I woke at 530am on the Morning of July 21 (I am in Australia so I am in the future) to a message from my brother telling me Chester had passed away, I forced myself to go back to sleep. When I woke up I was convinced it wasn't real. . . apparently, it is.

Linkin Park was a really massive foundation of my formative years, I haven't had a mixed CD or Playlist that has not had In The End on it since about 2001. I'm not going to sit here and pretend that Linkin Park was my favorite band or anything like that but they were still important to me.

I'm about to launch into a university degree after 3 years of studying mental health even through all I've learned, you don't expect the people you look up too to pass away, I never expected Chester to pass away that way. It's really taken me on a rollercoaster ride with my own mental health and it's made me question a lot about my own life and coping mechanism.

Since July there hasn't been a day passed that I haven't asked why in some way shape or form.Why can't I stop listening to Linkin Park? Why has suicide been on my brain now more than at any time in my life? Why do good people die? Why am I here and not Chester? Why do people have to deal with Mental Health Issues? Why did so many people have to lose such a good person? Why did it have to be Chester?

I guess I'm really good at asking questions that will probably never have answers.

To Talinda Bennington.

Thank you!
I'm sorry you lost your soul mate, but Thank you!
You've been such an inspiration. I don't know how you are so strong right now when everything is so raw but you have quickly become someone I look up to and admire immensely, I hope as I get older I can be half as strong as you. You and Chester obviously meant so much to each other and everything you are doing in his name right now. . . Amazing. Many people in the same position could not and you are making Chester prouder then you could ever imagine.

The Mental Health terrain will change because of what you're doing.

You're a class act!

Thank you!

__

I wanted to write so much more in this blog post, I've come back to it over and over again since July and it's just not happening in the way I want it too, but blogging means a lot to me. I hadn't posted something since July 14 (i think) I didn't want to continue with this blog without acknowledging the amazing soul the world lost.

As I said I may never get the answers I want but something that has been rehashed for me since Chester's death is my need to advocate for Mental Health and change the world we live in so the next generations don't have as hard of a time as ours has in speaking out and getting help.

Thanks for reading every one even if it was a bit babbly.

Back in October, my friend held an art exhibition called 'Embrace your brain' where he hung paper mache brains decorated by many different people in order to express how many people have many different brains and we should embrace them and our Mental Health.

I decorated mine in honor of Chester, here are some pictures below. It has the hash tags, #fuckdepression, and #makechesterproud. the writing its just lots of different Linkin Park lyrics, I can't remember what went where I can find out though haha. Also, Chesters pretty face which... .got wrinkled with the glue, but I was still happy with the overall outcome.

So what happens is if people pre-order my book, the book in question will be quired to a certain amount of publishers, the publisher number becoming greater the greater the number of people who back the novel.

That's where I need you.

If you guys can it would be amazing if you could support my campaign, it's kind of a go fund me style deal.

Hey guys a little guest posts today from the guys over at Publishizer who are going to talk to as about their book proposal contest, let me tell you ti looks amazing, i may even enter it myself. :) Enjoy and check them out, enter, support readers and writers alike!

Putting the Readers Back in Charge of Publishing

Imagine a YA publishing process without gatekeepers. One where editors and agents read the manuscripts that readers love, not vice versa. One where anyone with a knack for writing, a passion to succeed, and a little flair for self-promotion, has a fair shot at being published.

All too frequently, this isn’t the case. Books often get rejected for reasons beyond authors’ control. One editor turned down an ultimately successful book by saying, “The girl doesn't, it seems to me, have a special perception or feeling which would lift that book above the 'curiosity' level.” The book in question? The Diary of Anne Frank. Furthermore, according to the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, only about 10% of all YA books accepted for publication feature “multi-cultural content.” Clearly, there are some blind spots that need addressing in the publishing industry.

It’s with this vision in mind that Publishizer is launching its YA book proposal contest called Plot Without a Cause. Publishizer is a startup seeking to fill a hole in the publishing industry through crowdfunding. It works like this:

You write the book proposal. You know the book proposal I’m talking about. The one you’ve been daydreaming about for years. The one that just popped into your head last week and you haven’t stopped thinking about since. The one for the manuscript that’s been dearly loved by you but maybe not so much yet by the publishing industry. That one. Then you register (for free!) on Publishizer’s website and post your proposal in the Plot Without a Cause section (again—for free!).

Now this is when you’ll have to start hustling. Crowdfunding runs on pre-orders, so you had better start promoting that proposal. Reach out over social media, post on your blog, email your old roommates—whatever it takes to start building buzz. If you get the most preorders by the time the contest ends, you’ll win $1000 dollars. And if you don’t have the highest number of preorders, don’t worry—you’ll still be queried to major publishers who fit your proposal.

Previous Publishizer contest participants have gotten interest and landed deals with a variety of traditional publishing companies, including Harvard Square Books, She Writes Press, and Weiser. Publishizer takes a small commission on pre-orders when you choose a publisher at the end.

Every year, thousands of books are rejected by the publishing world for reasons that have nothing to do with the quality of the book—they’re too mainstream or not mainstream enough, too similar to books already being published or too different from books already being published. Or the literary agent just doesn’t stand to make much money on the deal so they pass on a perfectly good book! Imagine how many brilliant YA manuscripts go unpublished every year thanks to frustrating rejections. Imagine how many hugely talented authors quietly give up on their dreams, just because the gate to a traditional publishing path isn’t open to them.

With their new YA book proposal contest, Plot Without a Cause, Publishizer is seeking to level the playing field. Publishing decisions shouldn’t be based solely on a literary agent’s judgement or how many friends you have in the industry. They should be based on quality of writing and how many readers the book attracts.

Great books get overlooked all the time, and this is an opportunity to show acquiring editors that yours is worth paying attention to. Not to mention the readership and funds you could gain in the process. Crowdfunding (or crowd-publishing, in this case) is growing in popularity and brings a personal touch back to book sales—for readers and publishers. Are you in?

Hey Guys!! Over the last month I have discovered an amazing gem in the corner of the internet, that gem is called Cosmetic Capital, place that sells authentic goods at discounted prices. I'm kind of obsessed with this website at the moment, So I'm going to share with you the beauty related products i got with you over the last two months.

Disclaimer:
This is not a sponsored post,
All prices where subject of my purchase and are subject to change at Cosmetic Capitals discretion

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer 230 Very Fair/Light
I paid $6.95 which is a $9 RRP saving.Click Here to buy

Maybelline Master Kajal Khol Liner Pitch Black
I brought this for $3.95 which is a $8 RRP Discount.Click Here To Buy

Maybelline Volum' Express Mascara Big Eyes 202 Blackest Black
There was no stated discount on this item, but I brought it for $9.95 and I usually pay around $17 or it at the supermarket, so for me, a bargainClick here to buy

NYX High Voltage Lipstick 13 Stone
I brought it for $6.95 which is a $6 RRP saving.Click Here to buy

Cala Non-Latex Cosmetic Wedges

I also brought these badboys, for $3.50 each down from $8, they smell amazing, just as you would think.Unfortunately Cosmetic Capital only have the Original Glazed listed at the moment, which you can buy here

So that's it guys, let me know what you think of these items, and if you would like a review of anything,

Okay so it's no secret that I've been lacking in the blogging department lately, so i thought I would to a quick post to state what my some of my life and blogging goals for July are, then you guys can hold me to it :D

My train of thought is that if i plan it out and mention it publicly then some one some were will want to make sure i do it, or they'll be sitting there waiting for me to fail miserably.

At the end of July, We will check in and see how it all went.

I am currently on my study break, so that means no Tafe until July 17, which is basically mid month.

Life Goals:

7 Assessments: I ended the term a little behind, these assessments arent hard, i just need to sit down and to them :)

Write 30,000 on my novel Attack (working title)

Attend the gym at least three times a week.

No Pizza

buy a bean bag.

Blog goals:

12 blog posts (three a weekish) some topics are - June Favorited, my to be read pile, a funny story time, a post on stigma, just to name a couple

Comment on and promote other blogs.

have a better twitter and Instagram presence.

Creative:

Create a black board for quotes

Have my bullet journal up to date all month

catch my art journal up.

So there we have it, my July plans, both on the blog and not, Let me know what you think below and if there are any topics you might like me to cover in the future, this planning thing could be okay.